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Minnesota foundation supports iBizKidi (07/04/2011)

ST. PAUL, Minn. (7/5/11)--The Minnesota Credit Union Foundation (MnCUF) has provided a grant to BizKid$, a public television program aimed at financial education for students. The Emmy Award-winning series, launched in 2008, teaches students how to use credit wisely and reinforces the importance of budgeting, saving and giving back to the community. The foundation has helped fund the program for the past three years, said MnCUF Chairman Pat Brekken, president of Richfield-Bloomington CU, Richfield. "Thanks in part to the foundation's grant, our credit unions can use this relevant and engaging tool to provide financial education to their members and communities across the state," said Brekken. BizKid$ has national support from America's Credit Unions, a coalition of more than 130 credit unions, leagues, foundations and affiliates--including the Minnesota foundation--and from the National Credit Union Foundation. The credit union system and its affiliates have contributed more than $10.4 million to the series' production, its website and its curriculum. In its fourth season, which began airing in April, BizKid$ returns with 13 episodes focusing on life skills such as goal-setting, protecting against identity theft, and understanding taxes. BizKid$ has a viewership range of 271 million and has aired on more than 340 PBS stations nationwide. It has the highest pick-up rate with public broadcasters of any children's program broadcast by American Public Television. More than 1.2 million people tune in to each episode. This fall, Minnesota credit unions can also participate in an online series of financial education training offered through the University of Minnesota Extension and funded by MnCUF. The webinars aim to improve financial literacy levels of Minnesota educators, including classroom teachers, agency staff, financial professionals and others who teach personal finance.